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Monday, December 31, 2012

Sorry guys--I promise I will try to be back on track next week. New year, new start--all that jazz. Plus, this draft is due like really, really soon. So soon I've set a kinda-feeling-impossible goal to type "the end" by tonight. Not sure if i'm going to make it. But I have to TRY.

So sadly, no MMGM. And I usually do an end of the year post looking back on all I've been through writing wise--and that is coming in a few days, too (I'm sure you're all holding your breath)

But for now I'm about 4 chapters away from DONE (well, done as in the draft is done. It will still be a mess and need lots of revision which I am trying very hard not to think about) so I have to keep working working working.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

I know, it's supposed to be MMGM--and I've been TRYING to keep up with it. But alas, between being sick, going out of town for the weekend, and the ever impending deadline of doom (and the draft that's kicking my butt instead of cooperating for said deadline) I'm... taking the week off.

SORRY!

If you're wondering about next week I'm... not sure. I'm hoping to catch up this week and be back on track, but right now all I know is that I am BEHIND, so I have to drop everything and focus on getting this book finished.

Related to that--if you are one of the wonderful people who sent me an email or a FB message I promise, I will be reading and replying to those. But probably not until after January 2nd.

If that's you, please email me at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com with your mailing address and I will have S&S ship off your prize.

For everyone else--thank you SO MUCH for your amazing enthusiasm for LET THE SKY FALL and for posting the widget on your blogs (which you can still get HERE--and remember, it has WIND FX!!) and all around being super awesome. I promise I will have more ARC contests and swag contests in the new year.

In the meantime, S&S is currently giving away FIVE shiny ARCs over on Goodreads, so if you haven't entered over there--what are you waiting for???? Go HERE.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Hey--so, remember that time when I fell into the deadline cave and didn't blog or tell you guys about anything important for like a month???

Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaah. Oops.

(though hey, I did share the super-awesome widget for LET THE SKY FALL and host an ARC Giveaway. If you missed that, go HERE)

But never fear, I am going to catch you all up today in a chaotic, rapid-fire mass of information overload!!! You. Are. WELCOME!

Okay, so first: I AM OUT OF THE DEADLINE CAVE TODAY!!!

Yes--it's TRUE!!! I probably shouldn't be, because ... well... hitting this one is gonna be tight. But I couldn't pass up an opportunity to visit some amazing kids at an awesome school. And then tonight, I'll be at Barnes & Noble for a book fair. So if you live in the San Diego area--PLEASE COME!

Here's the deets:

When: TONIGHT

Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Where: Barnes & Noble Oceanside

2615 Vista Way Oceanside, CA 92054

760-529-0106

What's awesome about these book fair signings is that they're super casual. You just hang out whenever you want for as long as you want. So if you have any time between 6 and 8, come come come! I'll have swag! And awkward hugs! And we can talk about cats and cupcakes!!!!

(Who doesn't want to be a part of that???)

Also: KEEPER GOT AN AWESOME REVIEW FROM BOOKLIST!!!!!

"A large and varied cast of supporting characters and an intriguing premise contribute to make this an exciting start to a promising series."~ Booklist Reviews

Yes, there was a lot of squealing and jumping around the house when my editor sent that. Trade reviews are SO SCARY. So YAY BOOKLIST!!!!

ALSO, also: LET THE SKY FALL SOLD TO TAIWAN!!!!!!!

I know--I couldn't believe it either. But here's the official PM listing to prove it:

It's SO crazy knowing my book is going to be in yet another language I can't read. My job is so cool sometimes!!!

ALSO ALSO also: (I told you, I have forgotten to tell you ALL THE THINGS): KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES IS GOING TO BE AN AUDIO BOOK!!!!!

(And dude, I cannot tell you how excited I am to hear my book read by a narrator. Talk about epic!!!)

I don't know when it will be released--the author is always the last to know these things. But the contract is signed and it is HAPPENING. Coming from Audible. I'll post more details as soon as I have them.

ALSO ALSO ALSO also: KEEPER HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR A YABC Choice Award--and *I've* been nominated for favorite middle grade author. Now, obviously you don't HAVE to go vote for me. BUT... if you decide to I will pretty much love you forever. Plus everyone knows that when you vote for me or KEEPER a unicorn burps up a magical sparkly cupcake of awesome, and really, who doesn't want that to keep happening???) NO pressure, of course, but if you would like to vote, go HERE.

AND--last but not least--a special offer from me to you. See, last Saturday was Bring Your Kids To The Bookstore Day--and I'd planned a special way to reward people for participating by offering special swag packs to anyone who bought KEEPER. And... then I forgot to post about it.

I know.

Major #Shannonfail.

Halfway through the day I did finally remember and sprinted to Twitter and FB to get the word out--and a bunch of people did see and take me up on it. BUT, since then I've heard from some who were sorry they missed it. And that's TOTALLY my bad. SO, I'm doing it again this weekend. (And hey, if you want to start it today, that's fine too.)

If you buy a copy of KEEPER between now and 11:59pm PST on 12/9/12, email me at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com with your mailing address and I will send you a special swag pack that includes shiny things like signed, personalized book plates and stickers and limited edition art prints. I don't need proof of purchase--I am willing to go on the honor system. And while of course it would be awesome if you supported your local Indie--it doesn't matter to me where you buy it.

Swag packs will go in the mail early next week--I promise--so you should definitely have them in time for any celebrationish things you need. And of course if you have any questions, ask away in the comments.

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd... I think that's everything. I mean, my brain is kinda shot these days, so it's possible I'm forgetting something. But that covers all the big stuff. Except to also add a huge THANK YOU to you guys for bearing with me through all my crazy deadlineishness. I promise, I WILL get things back on track soon. Once LET THE SKY FALL 2 quits kicking my butt and keeping me up half the night and otherwise making me very very aware that SEQUELS ARE HARD!!!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Okay--don't go into shock, but I AM ACTUALLY POSTING ON MY BLOG. (I know, I know--I said don't go into shock!)

Sadly, this does not mean I'm out of the deadline cave. I'm still very much trapped in that dark, stressful place for at least another few weeks. But the good news is: I snuck out into the light because I have something SUPER AWESOME to share with you guys--and a contest too! (so you'll want to stick with me to the end of this post)

See, I don't know if you realize this, but LET THE SKY FALL is launching into the world in LESS THAN 100 DAYS!!!!

I know to some of you that might sound very far away--but trust me, that is SOON. Like holy crap, there aren't enough exclamation marks in the world to convey how soon that is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Personally, I'd been planning to commemorate the impending countdown to LTSF's launch with a panicky, exclamation mark filled post (hey, kinda like this one) wherein I stressed about ALL THE THINGS.

Fortunately though, the lovely people at S&S had something MUCH more awesome planned (this is why authors shouldn't be in charge of these things). And so, I give you: THE MOST SHINY AWESOME COUNTDOWN WIDGET I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make sure you click the play button in the top right--THERE ARE WIND SOUND FX!!!!

(and if, for some reason, that isn't loading right on your screen, you can also find it HERE)

Equally exciting--or maybe even MORE SO--is that S&S has also built a super-awesome microsite for LET THE SKY FALL, which they will be adding all kinds of cool things to in the months to come. And to start off the fun, they have the first four chapters online for you to read. Click HERE to check that out.

You can also click HERE to add it to your Goodreads shelves and HERE to "like" LET THE SKY FALL on Facebook.

And of course this wouldn't be a proper celebration without a contest. SO I'M ALSO GIVING AWAY AN ARC OF LET THE SKY FALL!!!!!!!!!!

I want to make this really nice and easy for everyone (especially myself, given the whole DROWNING IN DEADLINES thing). So to enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm pacific time on Saturday, December 8th. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, December 9th. That's it--that's all you have to do. And international entries are welcome.

HOWEVER, I know some of you might wish there were a way to increase your chances of winning. So I will also give FIVE extra entries to anyone who posts the widget on their blog. I don't need a link--if you say you did it I trust you. But make sure you let me know that you did so I can give you your extra entries.

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